Brave Lancer was being touted as a Melbourne Cup hope in 2005 by his then trainer Neville McBurney, an astute judge of stayers.
A training accident, coupled with expatriate New Zealander McBurney's decision to go into semi-retirement , put the gelding's future in doubt and he was leftwith McBurney's Wyong neighbour Stephen Farley who has reignited Cup aspirations, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.
At Rosehill tomorrow Brave Lancer will carry topweight of 58kg in the 2000m welter, a race Farley hopes will lead to a start in his home-town Cup.
After a 12-month absence from the track, Brave Lancer returned on an unsuitable heavy track at Rosehill for a creditable sixth over 1400 metres, then finished a half-length third at Kembla Grange last Saturday week.
"He's been with me for about four months and is doing really well," Farley said last night. "His legs are okay and his first two runs for me have been really good. "I don't know if races like the Melbourne Cup are realistic - but I'd really love to win the Wyong Cup."
Now a 7-year-old, the winner of nine of his 34 starts will be ridden by Corey Brown tomorrow.
